WHEATLAND — In a era in which illegal aliens get all the press, Julie Greenwood, of Wheatland, is getting little press but also getting nothing else of which she is legally entitled.
The story began in 1981 when she immigrated to the United States from England. Her mother, who is still living in Tennessee, was already a citizen. Greenwood applied and received the coveted green card. She has never been in this country illegally. Since her children were still in England, she opted not to become a citizen but was here legally working as a waitress most of the time.
Greenwood married truck driver Wayne Turner in 1989 and has the official marriage certificate to prove the marriage was legal, although she never took his name.
“He was a truck driver; I just didn’t think it would last and I didn’t want to go through the hassle of changing it back if the marriage didn’t work,” she said.
The two of them moved all over the U.S. Greenwood would see a town that looked nice, he would work that area and come home when he could. When it was time for a change of address, the process was repeated. However, that pattern changed when they landed in Wheatland. It has been home for the last 20 years.
During the time her husband was driving trucks, Greenwood hadn’t worked outside the home. Her husband was so rarely home that when he did get to spend time with her, he wanted her not to be responsible to a job.
“He made enough money for us to live, and that’s all we needed,” she said.
December 2016, Turner came home for doctor’s appointments. He came home from an appointment and said he didn’t feel well. Julie took him to the hospital but what he needed was not available so he was sent to Fort Collins, Colorado. His lungs were the problem and in a very short time, he lost his battle for life.
With Wayne’s death, the problems for his wife began. She received a $15,000 life insurance benefit, but with a house mortgage and bills like everyone else has to pay, that didn’t last very long.
The domino effect began. In order to draw her late husband’s Social Security, Greenwood had to have a green card, which she hadn’t needed for many years. She went to Casper to apply, which cost her over $500, taking more of her meager funds.
She never received the green card. When she checked with the U.S. Postal Service, their scanner record said the card had been delivered on such and such a date; however, this important item did not require a signature when it was delivered. The postmaster told her, “The United States post office does not make mistakes.”
Greenwood has since returned to Casper and reapplied for another green card.
“I passed all the tests — not a criminal, went through FBI check, did all of that again, except I didn’t have to pay the second time,” she said. However, it could be as long as a year before she receives a new green card.
Even though she has the first green card she was issued when she came to the U.S., Immigration says that agency cannot help her. The USPS “doesn’t make mistakes” and Social Security is holding all the strings to the funds her husband spent years accumulating. Even Sen. John Barrasso can’t get through the three entities.
“When a person has nothing and no way to get what is due, life is very depressing. If it’s weren’t for Peak Wellness, I don’t know what I would do. They have been wonderful in giving me a place to talk to someone,” Greenwood said.
During the winter she had no heat because she couldn’t pay the bill. She was able to keep warm with lots of blankets and small heaters since she was able to keep the electricity on. She is a Type II diabetic but because of the Social Security snafu, she cannot use her Medicare card so can’t go to the doctor or get her medications.
“People have offered assistance but they just can’t keep supporting me,” Greenwood said. “I’m 68 years old, have not done anything wrong, am not ignorant and never asked for anything from anyone.”
